Telescopic lavatory safety platform



Feb. 10, 1959 J. R. GRATTON TELESCOPIC LAVATORY SAFETY PLATFORM Filed July 22, 1957 INVENTOR.

JA MES R GPA TTO/V BY 9.) #004 4.

United States Patent TELESCOPI'C LAVATORY SAFETY PLATFORM James R. Gratton, Reseda, Calif., assignor of one-tenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 22, 1957, Serial No. 673,496

2 Claims. (Cl. 228-48) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the lavatory platform art and, more specifically, relates to an improved telescopic lavatory safety platform for a child.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a telescopic lavatory platform for a child which is rapidly and easily mountable with respect to the drain pipe of a lavatory.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved telescopic lavatory platform for children which is completely safe and, when actuated into the operative (extended) position, is very firmly positioned with respect to the floor and the drain pipe in a mannerwhich provides firm support and virtually completely eliminates the likelihood of the lavatory platform becoming loose or unsteady.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a telescopic lavatory platform which is swingably mounted, whereby the safety platform may be quickly actuated underneath the lavatory when not in use.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a telescopic safety platform which is so simple in operation that even a small child can operate it with minimal effort.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character set forth in the preceding objects, which is inexpensive, simple, and of virtually foolproof construction.

Other and allied objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful perusal, examination and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present specification, and the appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be made to the hereinbelow described figures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention attached with respect to the drain pipe of a lavatory and in the retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the lavatory platform, as shown in Fig. 1, in an extended position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear perspective, partly broken away, of the mounting means of the lavatory platform; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modified version of the stop means taken through the center of the grooves.

Generally speaking, the telescopic lavatory safety platform of the present invention, indicated generally at 5 in Figs. 1 and 2, can be said to consist of a duplex of longitudinal spacedly opposed outer telescopic tube members 6 provided with inner telescopic tube members 7. A cross-bar 8 effectively connects the two outer telescopic tube members 6 with respect to each other near the bottom thereof.

The telescopic safety platform 5 has a retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, in which the platform 5 is directly underneath the lavatory 9. When actuated into the retracted position the telescopic safety platform 5 will not interfere with the normal use of the wash basin 9 by persons other than small children.

When the telescopic safety platform 5 is actuated into the extended position, as shown in Fig. 2, the platform 10 is parallel with respect to the floor 11, whereby the child can step onto it and have rigid support while using the wash basin 9. 1 a

The transverse step 10 is fixedly secured to the outer telescopic tube members 6 adjacent the upper ends thereof preferably by welding, although mechanical fasteners may be used. Also, the transverse platform 10 may be slidably mounted with respect to the tubes 6, whereby the device 5 may be made adjustable as the child grows.

A mat 13 is normally placed over the preferably metal step 10 in order to provide traction for the feet.

Rubber floor engaging means 12 are removably mounted to the base ends of the outer telescopic tubes 6 in order to prevent scuffing the floor 11.

The telescopic safety platform device 5 is pivotally mounted with respect to the drain pipe 14 by mounting means, indicated generally at 15 in Fig. 3, for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis in order to retract and extend the platform step 10.

The mounting means 15 consist, in the particular example illustrated, of a channel bar 16 which is pivotally mounted with respect to the upper ends of the inner telescopic tube members 7 by means of the rivets 17, as best shown in Fig. 3. The channel bar 16 has a center recessed section 18 of semicircular configuration which is positioned against the circular drain pipe 14. U-bolt fastening means 19 is inserted through the apertures 20 in the bar 16 and nuts 21 are threaded onto the threaded ends of the U-bolt 19, whereby the channel bar 16 is firmly positioned to the drain pipe 14.

The platform step 10 is automatically stopped in the parallel position with respect to the floor 11 by the use of chain stop means 22, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, which limits the travel of the telescopic tubes 6 and 7. One end of the chain 22 is fixedly attached to the platform 10 at 23 and the opposite end is affixed at 24 to the channel bar 16, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates a slight modification of the stop means as shown in the first version of the invention in Figs. l-3, and corresponding parts will be indicated by similar reference numerals, primed however. In this connection, it should be noted that the inner telescopic tubes 7 have longitudinal grooves 25 wherein stops 26 are mounted. The stops 26 are fixedly mounted to the outer telescopic tubes 6 and limit the travel of the inner tubes 7 when they abut the end limits 27 of the grooves.

It should be understood that the word telescopic, as referred to herein, is not to be limited to a tube within a tube and is meant to mean one member which slides longitudinally with respect to another member and may be, for example, an outer'channel bar member peened over a portion of an inner channel bar member.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such properly within the basic spirit, scope and/or teachings of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described, illustrated, and claimed.

For example, it is obvious that the mounting means of the present invention may be modified other than as specifically described and illustrated herein. Also the stop means may be modified substantially.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein'are exemplary-only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claimsonly, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

'1. A telescopic lavatory safety platform for a child, comprising: longitudinal telescopic means including a duplex of spacedly opposed outer telescopic tube members provided with inner telescopic tube members, said telescopic means being cooperable for limited pivotal movement'about a horizontal axis and having a retracted and an extended position; across-bar joining said outer telescopic tube members near the bottom thereof; resilient floor engaging means on the base ends of said outer telescopictube members; a transverse fiat platformhxediy mountedto said outer telescopic tube members adjacent the upper ends thereof, said flat platform being substantially parallel with respect to the floor when in said extended position and being non-parallel with respect to the floor when in said retracted position; said telescopic means and said flat platform being underneath the lavatory when in said retracted position; transverse mounting means cooperable for pivotally mounting said inner telescopic tube members with respect to the drain pipe of a lavatory, said mounting means including fastening means and a channel bar which is pivotally mounted at its ends with respect to the upper ends of said inner telescopic tube members; said channel bar having a rearwardly directed concave recessed section in the center, for positioning against the convex forward portion of the-drain pipe, and a forwardly directed aperture on each side of said recessed section; said fastening means including U-bolt means having a forwardly directed concave central portion shaped toencircle the convex rear of the drain pipe, having two substantially parallel similar exteriorly threaded bolt pcrtions extending forwardly through said apertures beyond said channel bar, and having an individual interiorly threaded nut threadedly engaged on each of said forwardly directed bolt portions for rigidly fastening said channel bar to the drain pipe, the parts of each of said bolt portions projecting forwardly beyond said channel bar being positioned for underlying supporting cooperation with the rear edge of said flat platform when said telescopic means is pivotally swung upwardly into an upper storage position with said flat platform above said parts and when said telescopic means is then shortened to the maximum extent; stop means cooperable for limiting travel of said inner telescopic tube members, said stop means comprising a chain fixedly attached to said flat platform at one end and to said'channel bar at the opposite end.

2. A telescopic lavatory safety platform for a child, comprising: longitudinal telescopic means including a du- 4 plex of spacedly opposed outer telescopic tube members provided with inner telescopic tube members, said telescopic means being cooperable for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and having a retracted and an extended position; a cross-bar joining said outer telescopic tube members near the bottom thereof; resilient floor engaging means on the base ends of said outer telescopic tube members; a transverse fiat platform having its rear edge fixedly mounted to said outer telescopic tube members adjacent the upper ends thereof and extending forwardly thereof, said fiat platform being substantially parallel with respect to the floor when in said extended position and being non-parallel with respect to the floor when in said retracted position; mat means on said platform; said telescopic means and said flat platform being underneath the lavatory when in said retracted position; transverse mounting means cooperable for pivotally mounting said inner telescopic tube members with respect to the drain pipe of a lavatory, said mounting means including fastening means and a channel bar which is pivotally mounted .at its ends with respect to the upper ends of said inner telescopic tube members; said channel bar having a rearwardly directed concave recessed section in the center, for positioning against the convex forward portion of the drain pipe, and a forwardly directed aperture on each side of said recessed section; said fastening means including U-bolt means having a forwardly directed concave central portion shaped to encircle the convex rear of the drain pipe, having two substantially parallel similar exteriorly threaded bolt portions extending forwardly through said apertures beyond said channel bar, and having an individual interiorly threaded nut threadedly engaged on each of said forwardly directed bolt portions for rigidly fastening said channel bar to the drain pipe, the parts of each of said bolt portions projecting forwardly beyond said channel bar also projecting forwardly beyond said nuts and being positioned for underlying supporting cooperation with the rear edge of said flat platform when said telescopic means is pivotally swung upwardly into an upper storage position With said fiat platform above said parts and when said telescopic means is then shortened to the maximum extent; stop means cooperable for limiting travel of said inner telescopic tube members, said stop means comprising a chain fixedly attached to said flat platform at one end and to said channel bar at the opposite end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

